Senior Tutorial Grades

Brightening the senior's weary scholastic life, a grade in Tutorial 99 is practically an automatic "A". Although the abundance of honor grades pleases in the seniors, the present system deflates the individual mark and creates an unhealthily stilted tutor-tutee relationship.

"It would be unusual," remarked a Government tutor, "to give less than an 'A--' to one of my tutees." But as no marks are guaranteed before they reach University Hall, the student tends to regard his tutor as a grader, and acts accordingly. The tutorial program, adapted from British universities, purports to bridge the gap between the pupil and pedagogue; however, when a tutor must evaluate this in terms of a grade, it limits a free exchange of ideas and creates a false atmosphere. As a history tutor explained, "Some students invent problems just so they can come to my office."

The graduate schools, moreover, have noted that this plentitude of high grades often makes comparison of tutees in the same field of concentration nearly impossible. Yet, while an "A" is not a median grade, all seniors in tutorial are nevertheless academically qualified honors, accustomed to Dean's list marks.

For these senior tutees, the value of tutorial is largely as an aid in writing a thesis and preparing for General Examinations. If tutorial grades were assigned on the basis of the student's thesis and Generals, the mark would no longer burden the tutor, and would also have more significance.